Promotion officials announced the new lightweight pairing on
Wednesday evening after Etim withdrew from the bout. The
UFC’s fourth Fox show takes place at the Staples Center in Los
Angeles on Aug. 4 and is headlined by a light heavyweight showdown
between Mauricio Rua
and Brandon
Vera. The card also features another 205-pound tilt, as
Lyoto
Machida squares off with Ryan
Bader.

Varner made an impressive return to the Octagon on May 26, scoring
a first-round knockout of the previously unbeaten Edson
Barboza at UFC
146. It was Varner’s first UFC bout since a 2007 submission
triumph over Jason
Gilliam. A former
WECDrew Fickett
prior to his upset of Barboza.